


Samhain Proposal

by heyHEYOhSorry



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, Halloween, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-23 02:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12496116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyHEYOhSorry/pseuds/heyHEYOhSorry
Summary: Pansy Parkinson takes a drag of her cigarette and tries to pretend that her life isn't falling apart.





	Samhain Proposal

This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, the moment Pansy Parkinson’s entire future would be set for prosperity, and she had given that all away.

Pansy lit a cigarette.

Pansy must have stepped back into the ballroom looking completely disoriented since the next thing she knew Blaise was by her side, grabbing her by the arms insuring her that it was okay. That it would all be okay, and that he was “proud” of her.

That was the line that had snapped her out the daze. She had glanced around nervous that the other guests would hear, slightly confused as to how Blaise could already know when she hadn’t said anything, and then she looks down at her hand and of course. Her bare, Malfoy-crestless hand, anyone would have known.

So she had stuck her hand into Blaise’s robe, grabbed his cigarette case, and raced out of the ballroom onto the balcony, away from the people who would surely be talking about her in a matter of minutes.

“I’m proud of you”. As if Pansy needed Blaise Zabini to be proud of her. She didn’t need to look into Blaise’s eyes and see admiration. She hadn’t done anything special, she wasn’t declaring anything big, she simply wasn’t going to marry Draco Malfoy.

She wasn’t marrying Draco Malfoy.

 

Pansy had known what was happening before they arrived tonight. She had purposefully spent the majority of the evening hanging onto Draco’s arm, showing the guests an example of what the future Mr. & Mrs. Malfoy would look like. — If by doing so she made sure to stay away from the woman in the dark navy dress with the drop cutout dress, that was only a bonus.

Despite the lack of attendees, the Samhain celebration was as big as always. Thanks impart by the generation of grandparents and great aunts and uncles, still alive and out of Azkaban to maintain the pureblood traditions they had sacrificed their children to protect. It would be nothing less of a Malfoy to propose at the biggest Pureblood event of the year, and Pansy knew Draco; proving he was a Malfoy was all he wanted in life.

The Parkinson lineage had to be rolling over in their graves. Pansy would definitely have to cover the family portraits for a while. Pansy could only imagine what her great Aunt Annabel would have to say. “Spoiled little brat. Destined to destroy our family’s history.” The rickety old bat had never liked Pansy, the product her British father decision to marry a Japanese woman. Since she was a child her Aunt Annabel would scream at Pansy from her frame in the foyer, lecturing Pansy on all her flaws, her failures, her ineptitudes. Apparently her aunt was right all along.

Which led her to now, chain-smoking like a bloody Muggle as her life steadily fell apart.

 

“What have I done?” Pansy whispered into the night air, tossing the butt to the ground before slipping another cig out of the silver case.

What number was this? Five? Seven? She had 6?4? left, she was going to stress smoke then all. Her mouth was going to taste like ash for the rest of the night.

“Talking to yourself, Pansy?” Pansy lowered her head. She knew that voice. Pansy had been ignoring that voice and this person purposefully all night. So of course, she would find her now.

“Stalking me Greengrass?” Pansy said, turning around to look the blonde in the eyes, praying that her face didn’t give away the tempest of emotions she was currently feeling.

“Blaise told me you were out here.” Daphne’s face was scrunched in concern, the corners of her mouth turned down in worry. Daphne always broadcasted her feelings so clearly. Pansy hated it.

“Listen to everything your fiancé tells you?”

“Blaise isn’t my fiancé.” Daphne corrected.

No, but he was supposed to be. Just like Pansy was supposed to be engaged to Draco.

“Those things will give you cancer.” Daphne crossed the final distance between them, leaning on the railing beside Pansy.

Pansy wanted to answer something snarky back like, “You’re my cancer.” But that was something stupid that Daphne was more likely to say, and right now making a comment like that was probably saying too much.

So instead, she took another long drag before looking back over the grounds.

 

The view from the balcony was breathtaking. The torches were already lit in preparation for the bonfire about to start. In traditional Samhain fashion, large elegantly carved pumpkins were scattered about, giving the entire garden an orange-golden glow. When Pansy squinted, she could spot the path she had walked through with Draco minutes earlier.

Her heart started racing the moment Draco suggested they visit the gardens. She hadn’t expected him to prepare for the moment, to grab her hand as they walked or the sweet monologue about the challenges they’ve faced and accomplished together. She certainly wasn’t expecting it when Draco knelt on the ground. It was a sight she had only dreamed about, Draco Malfoy, kneeling in front of her, with the Malfoy crest in his hands asking her to be his wife.

And she had said no.

 

Pansy turned her head to catch a glimpse of the girl beside her. Long, soft, wavy hair, a high slit, and an open back navy dress that perfectly showed off Daphne Greengrass. She looked even more tempting up close than she had from across the ballroom.

Pansy had always thought Daphne was beautiful. It was the reason why Pansy decided to talk to her first year. The connection and friendship that they built the years following were just an added bonus.

Daphne was always different than the other girls in Slytherin. She was overly joyful, didn’t seem to care about wealth, and she lacked the typical Slytherin arrogance Pansy perfected. It was sometimes a point of contention between them. Pansy had spent many late nights tucked in the Common Room corner arguing with Daphne over the responsibilities of a Pureblood witch. Pansy always spoke about family and honor while Daphne contended that personal happiness was more important.

Of course Daphne had been right about most things in the end. Despite her effort to make Pansy question pureblood ethics, Pansy had blindly sided with her father and Draco. If anyone had the right to taunt Pansy when the war ended and Pansy stood among the losing side, it should have been Daphne. And yet through it all, Dumbledore’s death, life under the Carrows, Vincent’s burial, her public trial, and coming back to complete Eighth year, Daphne had been by her side through it all.

Which is why Pansy finds it strange when Daphne breaks up with Blaise Zabini without discussing it with her first. As Daph would say, the two of them were “besties”. They shared everything. Pansy waits a full week, exercising uncharacteristic restraint, before she confronts Daphne. Daphne looks so nervous, as she sits across from her in the empty Common Room, that Pansy doesn’t think she’s going to say anything, until all of a sudden Daphne confesses,

“I’m in love with you.”

For the rest of her life Pansy will remember that moment. Her spirit soars. Her blood pulses. Her stomach somersaults. Her body reacts before Pansy’s brain can fully process the words. Her heart reacts before Pansy’s mind can grasp that she feels the same.

It’s as though in that very moment Pansy realizes why she’s always been so affected by this girl. Why she’s always been so moved by her words. Why she always craves to be near her. How she never feels quite complete without Daphne there.

But she’s dating Draco. Pansy was meant to become a Malfoy.

Daphne must see the change in emotions, because she quickly removes Pansy’s hand from her knee.

“That’s why I broke up with Blaise.” The words come out rushed and whispered. Her eyes shine with unshed tears before she stands and walks away.

They never speak of what happens.

 

Eighth year continues and they remain just as close. It would almost be as if that night never happened. Except that there are times when they’re together, like when Pansy allows Daphne to drag her outside to sit by the lake, or early in the mornings when Daphne’s still sleepy but sits with Pansy in a scarcely filled Great Hall, or just times when they’re together and laughing and happy that Pansy wonders “What if?”.

As quick as that thought comes, she squashes it even quicker. Pansy has Draco. Pansy was going to marry Draco. Pansy spent years and a war at Draco’s side. So despite what she could feel for Daphne, Pansy chose to bury those feelings.

Until now, until 9 months later on the night of her wedding proposal, all of those buried feelings rose up to rear their nasty head.

Everything about Draco had felt wrong. His hands, his smell, his hair, his eyes, and worse Pansy knew that none of it would ever feel right because he wasn’t Daphne. Because Pansy Sakura Parkinson was hopelessly in love with Daphne Greengrass.

 

Merlin, the mess she had gotten herself into. “Daphne?” Pansy croaked, unsure of what to say, but realizing that she needed to say something.

Daphne pulled her eyes away from the starting of the bonfire. “Oh Pans” she sighs. Daphne arms moved swiftly, embracing Pansy, and Pansy lifts her arms feeling the naked soft skin of Daphne’s back and let out a sigh, letting her body relax into the comfort that Daphne’s offering.

“It’ll be alright, I won’t—You can—“ Daphne faltered, “I’ll still love you even if you marry Draco.”  
There it was, a second time. Daphne meant it. This was real.

Pansy pulled away, smiling at Daphne as she reached up to cradle her face “I don’t want to marry Draco.”

Pansy studied Daphne as her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion before softening with realization.

Daphne grew as she leant in further. Pansy was glad that Daphne understood even if Pansy wasn’t a hundred percent confident she could say the words back. Pansy wasn’t a hundred percent confident in anything right now, except that she wanted to be near Daphne.

“Pansy?” Daphne questioned, running her thumb lightly over her lip. “I’ll taste like nicotine.” Pansy warned, even as she moved closer. She heard Daphne’s snarky reply before their lips finally met, “You are my nicotine.”

 

Below them the Samhain fire roared, signaling to all, a Happy Halloween.


End file.
